Guilt (2016) User Reviews

It's too brash, too tacky.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 5/10 · 25 September 2018]

Guilt is watchable, it has some degree of suspense, but the American influence is very much the negative factor which dogs it. It looks American, and somehow the British setting and performances don't gel with it. It's like a trashy ITV2 show, even footballer's wives Cristian Solimeno is here, he's good, but not well served by the script. The main flaw is the presence of the Royal character, the possibility of the scenarios playing out as they do, just stretch the imagination too far.

Needed to be made in the US, with American actors, Britain make incredible crime dramas, a genre that certainly doesn't need to be tampered with.

I enjoyed the mystery element of it, just didn't work for me. 5/10

Can't see much of a potential

[Shak0M · 6/10 · 15 June 2016]

I just watched the pilot and I must say that I can't see this show renewed for the next seasons.

I'm not much in this 'detective kind' of shows, but I loved 'The Killing' for example and I loved it right from the start.. No need to mention other Top-level shows in this genre, like 'Fargo' or 'True Detective'. So, It's not masterpiece and It's never gonna be. It wasn't even supposed to be... So, if you want some 'not good/not bad' show, which will help you fall asleep, this one is for you, but if you want great acting/story line/soundtrack.. etc combination, you should start watching shows mentioned earlier.

Though, there's only one episode released yet and 'who knows what the tide could bring', eh?

not really for adults. a teen drama really

[jonnithomas · 5/10 · 25 July 2016]

The storyline is quite good and it's done in quite a realistic way. the main problem is the the level of intelligence portrayed by what are supposed to be adults isn't awfully realistic.

the police play quite convincing police and at a push the main legal defender is realistic but the villain is laughable as is the main premise of a high class brothel that the police don't know about where high powered people go for fun and games. it would be known of and left alone by the police as long as nothing other than prostitution occurred. once one of the hookers gets her throat cut. the police would open the can of worms.

then there are the goodies... a very stupid group of girls working as hookers that show no intellect or reasoning in their actions. it goes along the lines of...my friend just had her throat cut, there is blood everywhere. let's go to France ! so they get on a train and are surprised when the police stop them. then she bumbles about in nightclubs and wonders why the paparazzi are following her for snaps. so let's go shopping instead. really ? it could have been good if the characters hadn't mainly been brain dead airheads.

oh, there are lots of girls in short skirts for the lads who haven't seen a girl yet. one for the 12-13-14 year olds I think.

Guilt is Guilty

[kemble88 · 6/10 · 5 August 2016]

It's "Decent TV". It's worth watching because the set-dec is pretty as are the people. I don't care whether or not I'm actually seeing naked people screwing, I have porn for that. I've been meaning to put out a question about "Modern" TV drama (on subscription channels and some networks in Canada) "Where is the line and who draws it between a TV shows and an Adult feature? -off topic but I'm interested in your opinion

It's nice to see beauty at work AND at play, BUT ....if a scene with actively depicted sex goes on longer than 10 seconds, it's being used as filler (pun intended).

Guilt "IS" GUILTY of being dumbed down for USA networks. Canada, our networks handle FAR MORE questionable materiel with ease. Anyone who has been around the worlds it is depicting will understand immediately what I mean when I say it is unrealistic.

The actors play their parts to the fullest the script and censors all, the sets are terrific and the plot, while there may be holes in the credibility about "how" things actually work in these environments, one flaw is balanced by another, positive aspect.

Worth recording for when the shows you LOVE are not playing ...or on demand without commercials would be good as well. I had trouble getting through the 1st ep ... hated it. After the 2nd or 3rd I look forward to seeing it on my PVR's list. xoxo :)

Too American for it to be British

[kirstenlittlewood · 2/10 · 25 September 2017]

Yeah, I know that title sounds convoluted, but this was just.... this is not how Britons are. Or the British legal system. Or British mannerisms. And some of those weren't British accents (that Molly girl was not Irish, she just... wasn't. Though Anthony Head is, and now he's playing an American?).

Every British buzz-topic has been thrown into this blender. Knox/ Kircher, The Troubles, The Royals, it's all thrown in there. This is really obviously about how Americans see us, and they produced an American show (slow mo shots, use of music, wide angle overhead shots), all they did was unnecessarily base it in London where apparently everyone is rich and lives close to the Astoria. And drinks in the same pub. And bump into each other in one of the most populous cities in the world.

Billy Zane was,as always, amazing. I watched it initially because he was in it, and he always does a stellar job. He wrangled his lines beautifully, and his incredulity at the stupidity of the main characters was apparent in his delivery. Can not fault him, and he's the only reason this debacle got any stars from me at all.

No knowledge of British law

[erjolley-1 · 1/10 · 20 August 2016]

Whoever wrote this script did little or no research of the British Legal system. All the jail scenes do not show Briish jails but Hollywood American jail furnishings. Barristers at law do not prowl the front of the court but plead standing behind their podiums and read from their briefs. In British law you can not ' plead the fifth' . British rules of Sub Judecie forbid any discussion of a case especially in the press once a suspect has been charged with a crime. All in all a travesty of bad research and please not a second series of Mid Atlantic trash. Filmed on location in London it may have been for the exterior shots but I suspect Canada or somewhere in North America for internals. A mixture of genuine American accents from the genuine Americans, weak accents from the British/Americans and the obligatory Eastend cockney accents from the genuine Brits. Worth watching only for the goofs.

Canceled but not forgotten

[lukas-ingel · 10/10 · 17 November 2016]

I believe some people will come back to this show, and ask if they can watch it even though the show got canceled after the first season. I will say you can, because even though season 1 leaves you on a cliffhanger, you've got the answers to the questions that season 1 was all about. Would a second season have been relevant (to the story)? Absolutely. But now that Guilt got canceled anyway, we can as well be honest and say that a second season wouldn't have been necessary as much as it would have been relevant, because as mentioned: We got our answers in the first season, and they were as satisfying as they could get. Only very few and less important questions remained.

Now, I gave the show a 10 out of 10, since that is how much I enjoyed it. It was just my taste, and the mystery wasn't dragged out for too long. (10 episodes only.) That being said, Guilt might not be for everyone. It is not your typical True Detective or The Killing. If anything, I would describe it as a more mature version of Pretty Little Liars, but with How to Get Away with Murder vibes. It is not going to blow your mind with sophistication, but it is very enjoyable with great acting from most parts, intense writing that will bring you on the edge of your seat a lot of times, and the music/scores are great and fitting for the scenes.

I can only recommend you to start watching the first episode. If it's not your style at all, there's probably not a good chance you will like the rest of the season. However, if you find the first episode enjoyable but are not sure if you want to continue or not, you might want to watch till episode 4 to catch a better image of what the show is like. At least no matter what, I don't think you should let the cancellation ruin the experience for you, as this one season gives you the answers to the most important questions in the show, and it is a hell of a lot of fun.

Guilt(y) of being stupid

[mmarianne · 1/10 · 21 April 2017]

This will only be a quick one.

The series is about a murder. So much is clear.

People in this world know about murder, because we're fed them constantly in books, movies, TV, hell, even newspapers.

The millennials knows a little bit about always being watched by smart-phones cameras and voice recording.

And yet, in this series, we are to believe that the main character, Grace, have no clue of neither.

She is a dear in the headlight, always going of on her own little trips which put her in more danger and her poor sister, always comforting and supporting...

She end up laughing out loud just as the funeral of her friend, Molly - the murdered girl - had stopped. Naturally, she didn't realize that she was being filmed, by the thousands of paparazzi covering her case.

Everything feels fake in this series. Grace, played extremely bad, by Daisy Head, have exactly two facial expressions. Surprised, and sort-of-emotional-could-be-any-type. The sister, the lawyer, the persecutor, the cops... they're all made out of stereotypes which doesn't do the trick in this very long, very badly executed, TV-series of crime and passion (as in the sort-of- feelings-for-the-dead-girl) (and the whore-house they all work in)

I took the advice of a previous reviewer here in IMDb and quit watching in the middle, and just found out who did it, elsewhere. It was exactly whom I had thought from the beginning.

So boring is not enough, it's also super predictable.

I am so glad that I wrote this review, because I needed to get the whole ordeal out of my head never to think of again.

Enjoyable who done it

[kerrieneill · 10/10 · 27 November 2019]

Great series. Easy and enjoyable to watch. I think some who have left reviews read too much in to things. Wannabe tv critics. Just enjoy!

I think it's a shame it was cancelled after the first season as I think this could have been a really good crime / courtroom program.

No wonder it got canceled

[leif-56 · 2/10 · 3 May 2017]

Written for toddlers, I suspect. Or perhaps by toddlers. Not a single believable character. It opens OK with a decent albeit not original plot, but falls apart quickly when it turns out EVERY character is a one-dimensional caricature. Disappointing to say the least. Too bad, as there are some above par actors and actresses in it.

Feels like I've seen it all before

[carolmartin3 · 3/10 · 2 May 2017]

I can't help feeling that this is influenced by the Kutcher incident? American girl and her European boyfriend, murder in their apartment, tabloid judgement etc? But everything from the acting to the accents - particularly the 'I'm from Scotland Yard' policeman ... no one says that here in the UK! As someone else noted, there are so many 'this is how the US think we do things' moments too - factually incorrect.

Absolutely will not continue past episode 2 - which I've struggled through.

Research

[lancer165 · 4/10 · 23 June 2017]

Much said already about the lack of research. A little has been mentioned about English and American accents but last night I could not get my head around our Belfast Paddy with the non or poor Belfast accent meeting with the girl who also sported a similar ball shaped necklace ornament. She tells him and us she is from a place called Hillsborough. In a very sexy English accent Hillsborough is 12 miles from Belfast so this major difference is odd. Had she said that she was only born there but lived in stately homes and educated in pubic schools that might have covered it. That she also then gave the Irish version of Cheers "slancha". Not commonly used around the Hillsborough area which is where our Monarchy and senior government stay when in troubled Northern Ireland. How did they ever get permission to place the Prince of Wales as a fictional character in this. While I have no idea how he will be fully involved here this is a bit of conspiracy too far.

Back in the very late 1800s there was indeed a Prince of Wales who enjoyed visiting Paris and partook of sexual delights. A special chair was made for him to enjoy multiple partners giving him pleasure. In our story here this young Prince must have been well observed by others in this hedonistic club so complete secrecy is not going to be totally possible.

Glossy looking good and expensive but way too much US style and behaviour has been taken on. Last night our main cop throws money the bar as he leaves. I thought he was paying up front when he made the order for the American lawyer to have drink. Now we see he has an Achilles heel as is too often the case for TV or Movie cop back story.

Too many examples of Americanisms but for what is meant to be I think a republican type to use the words 'Northern Ireland' to describe the hated name for the six counties or the North Of Ireland just too much.

Very good Mystery

[HarleanHayworth · 8/10 · 12 July 2016]

I'm on episode three of this series and so far it's really keeping my interest. Every week I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. Also it's still a mystery to me who the real killer is which is good - so many shows and movies make it too easy to guess the ending. Obviously this show is based on the famous Amanda Knox trial so it's not totally original. We have a young British student who is murdered and we must figure out who did it - her American roommate (too obvious?), the married teacher she was sleeping with, or someone connected to a call girl ring she worked for. This "victim" was no saint!

I do like most of the characters especially the lawyer sister who comes to help and the shady lawyer played by Billy Zane. I think they could have done without the sleazy prince "Harry" wannabe but maybe he'll turn out to be important later. The acting is pretty good although some of the British actors need to work on their American accents. If you enjoy murder mysteries and true crime movies you'll enjoy Guilt. It's a good show to binge watch too.

Original, well-written, well-acted...

[graham-705-127874 · 1/10 · 4 March 2019]

... none of these can be said to apply to Guilt, it is, without doubt one of the most painfully-bad series I have ever waded through.

As noted elsewhere, the writers appear to have had little or no understanding of how the English legal system differs from that in the US, nor do they appear have had a single original idea, every plot device having been lifted from another series or film.

If you find yourself at a loss for something to watch I'd recommend almost anything other than this.

Guilt is the best show ever!

[jtungsten16 · 10/10 · 23 December 2016]

I just discovered Guilt and I'm Guilty of watching it nonstop until the end, the complex stories and characters is what makes this wonderful show. The show opens with a murder and is so much more than that. I just wish that people watched more television these days and had time to watch a gem of a show like this. I don't know if maybe this show was on a major network it would of gotten better ratings, I don't know. The writing,acting and directing are top notch on Guilt. The wardrobe and scenery on the show are superb as well. The show ended in a way that, you for not feel cheated and they sort of wrapped everything up which is good. So please if you haven't seen This show you must, you will be hooked I promise.

Absolutely dreadful American Crap

[dave-goodman-130-352295 · 1/10 · 3 December 2019]

Although the storyline had promise the acting from the American actresses is awful. Since when did we have a prosecutor investigating a case in the UK, we don't. To add balance even the British actors are awful. I stomached 5 episodes and skipped to episode 10 it was so bad. Trust me if you are British and a fan of good proper British drama avoid this rubbish. The worse thing is the dreadful cat wailing singing as each episode winds up with a recap as US dramas seem to like.

Disappointing with a capital "D"

[luciakristina · 1/10 · 15 November 2017]

Sadly, I wasted a half hour on this pseudo-British pap. Not a single redeeming feature except Billy Zane who, as always, delivers a convincing performance.

Anybody who has watched "The Killing" or "Fargo" knows that it is possible for Americans to produce excellent movies/television series. Not this one. British audiences must be appalled or rather laugh out loud at how the Americans see them - one stereotype bumper to bumper with another... I have lived in London and a few images of Big Ben or a red double decker bus do not represent that diverse and huge metropolitan city.

American rubbish set in London

[rtipping68 · 1/10 · 2 March 2020]

This is a typical stylised American garbage. Acting is poor. The cast consist of gym fit beautiful people that command no credibility instead of proper believable real people. No suspense and no real reason to watch episode 2.

Watch the Stranger on Netflix to see how it should be done.

American drama can be brilliant but this is one of many Netflix series that is definitely not. Give this one a miss if you are looking for a gritty believable crime drama. Conclusion is style over just about everything else including substance

WAW !! Worth A Watch

[dtsixsmith · 8/10 · 3 June 2017]

Managed to Get through the first episode which is always a factor for myself. The story and the twisting plots will keep you going to the very end, which disguises some of the pretty crappy acting, especially Daisy & Anthony Head's American Accents. Also Grace Atwood (Daisy Head) gets herself in some pretty daft situations which is tough to relate to.. Definitely should have got a second season, and tried to bring in a better cast, Billy Zane was pretty good and his character should have had more of a front row seat.. any how's if you like mystery murders with constant twists and turns then you will enjoy....

Awful!

[jiballini64 · 2/10 · 11 December 2019]

Awful acting, awful script, awful clichés, just bloody awful! I'm not sure why I gave it two stars... Some of the music was okay, maybe? As stated previously, ZERO understanding of British Law, British behaviour, British policing and of how to entertain a viewing public, apparently. Utter nonsense.

Court scenes.

[michaelstuart-63946 · 9/10 · 16 May 2021]

Enjoyed the plot but the Crown Court scenes totally Americanised. Barristers in English Courts do not pace around in front of juries like Perry Mason.

Calling it at 17:20

[jo-546-614588 · 4/10 · 9 December 2017]

I didn't even hang around for Billy Zane's appearance. I pity those actors who put themselves through this horror show of a "pilot" but I can't be bothered to keep watching to see who hung around.

This is the Notting Hill of British TV. Americans: keep away from other countries' entertainment. You have your own genre and audience.

Britain: Keep other cultures out of your own fabulous TV and cinema productions. Be true to your wonderful, reliable selves.

Appalling tosh

[mosquitobite · 3/10 · 22 November 2019]

If you want something mind numbingly silly and arent too fussy about authenticity credibility and depth this might suit you.

Hollyoaks meets The Bill

[Mat_Nichol · 2/10 · 19 January 2020]

The depth of Hollyoaks with the quality of The Bill. Poorly researched, written, cast, acted and directed. Apart from that it's quite boring.

Awful

[TonightTurnYourWeaponsToSnow · 1/10 · 1 September 2016]

I watched the pilot and that was it.

This show was really annoying. The characters were annoying. The lead was just ridiculous. She looked like a fish.

The tone is not there.

The only good scene was when the fish lead discovered her friend's dead body. Otherwise, rubbish.

Very bland, very boring.

Do not watch.

I ended up watching the killer reveal on YouTube and didn't remember who the *beep* the character was, so I deem the reveal as a disappointment also.

1/10.